Misunderstood Innocence
by Bookwormangel2213
Summary: We all know Katniss's Hunger games but what if that never came to be what if she hadn't volunteered. Prim is seen as innocent and kindhearted in the eyes of others. Is she? Without a doubt. But is she ignorant and naive? Is she going to die like they assume or will she change herself and who she is to survive? Will she be better than The Girl On Fire? Read and find out.
1. chapter 1

My eyes snap awake as my mother shakes me. I rub my eyes adjusting to the sunlight flickering through the window as clouds pass in front of the morning sun. "Goodmorning mom" I smile weakly. She doesn't return the smile but returns the "goodmorning" instead.

Reaping day was always hardest for mother. More so than Katness and I. Reaping day has always been a frightening experience for me but more so this year since it was my first year being elegable for the Hunger Games. I dress for the Reaping in my older sisters old white blouse and grey skirt she wore to her first reaping. I smooth the wrinkles from the dress as I finish braiding my hair in two. As I'm frowning at my reflection my sister walks through the door and smiles.

"Look at you little duck." she laughs softly kneeling to my height.

Her eyes shine at me.

"You look so beautiful." She admires stroking a braid.

"Not as beautiful as you." I mutter my sister is beautiful. One of the most beautiful people I have ever met and she refuses to see it. She has chocolate brown hair tanned skin and beautiful grey eyes. She looks just like our father. She laughs at my comment.

"Aww no I wish I looked like you little duck." She says fondly.

While my mother interupts by telling sissy that she had drawn her a bath and had clothes laid out.

As Katniss disapears into the room the three of us share I split the bread and cooked squirrel into thirds for each of us. When my sister returns to the room I offer her the food she takes nodding a thanks chuckling.

"Tuck in that tail." She tells me jokingly tucking the blouse into my skin earning a playful "quack".

The bells chime signalling us to make our way to the district square. I as we approach the lines to sign in I start breathing harder what if I lose my sister?

My sister swiftly calms me down leading me into the line to sign in. After taking my name peacekeeper grips my thin hand and pierces my finger roughly. I bite my lip so I won't flinch. I press my finger next to my name them attach myself to my sister.

"Prim go sit up there with the little kids I will meet you after and we can spend the day together."

My fear is swiftly overpowered by excitement my sister rarely got a day off. The only time we spent together was walking to and from school. I enjoyed spending time in the woods with Katness and Gale but I felt out of place like I was intruding on them time so I let her believe I hate going into the woods with them.

"Promise?" I ask hopefully she gives me a small smile.

"I promise Prim." she whispers as the peacekeepers separate us I go stand with a girl who I speak with at school she has two older siblings being reaped as well one 14 and the other 17. But she still worried for herself not mentioning them. How could you not worry for your family. I'm worried about myself of course but Katniss has given so much for me. She has her name in 20 times for extra rations. while I only have one entry, one little piece of paper with my name printed on it. I shake my head of these thoughts as tears brim my eyes. Nothing is going to happen to Katniss.

Just as my thoughts start to wonder our district escort Effie Trinket hobbles on stage with high heeled shoes looking like a bird I saw in one of my school books.

"Welcome Welcome District 12 to see who has the honor of competing in the 74th annual hunger games." she smiled. Before reading the history of the Hunger games and all of district 12's 2 victors of the hunger games.

one is a man who won almost 50 years ago who ended up committing suicide at the age of 20 and a current Victor Haymitch Albernathy who won the 50th hunger games who now has taken to drinking his life away.

Much to soon she clears her throat and smiles.

"Now for the Girls." she smiles brightly clicking to the bowl.

picking a single piece of paper I tense fearing for the worse. She clears her throat and reads out the name. I feel in that moment dread deep in my stomach and as if freezing water was dumped all over me. My eyes almost letting tears fall before mentally slapping myself.

I was chosen.

Primrose Everdeen

a name I have called my own for my entire short life.

I feel like my body isn't my own as if it's moving on its own accord. Every step I take towards the stage is like the bigger the pain in my chest becomes. I approach the stairs as I tuck my blouse in. My sister and my mother's sobs.

My sister screams for me begs for me pleads shaking and broken. She tries to break through the barrier the peacemakers created knowing she wouldn't stop Gale picks her up and drags her away as she tries to fight but it was no use she wasn't as strong as him. His eyes meet mine as he holds my now crying sister in his arms as I climb the stairs.

i collect myself as Effie waves incouragingly for me to be at her side. I stand next to her my hands balled into fists.

"Hello dear aren't you just precious." she coos pinching my face. I give her a kind smile trying not to flinch away.

She returns to her position.

"And now for the boys!" She says reaching into the bowl I glare at Gale whose eyes are on me knowing exactly what he's thinking I shake my head at him.

"Peeta Melark"

I clinch my fist tighter.

The taller blonde boy steps out of the crowd in shock looking on the verge of tears. I know Peeta he is the bakers son one of the more wealthier families.

Peeta is escorted up to the stage seemingly already accepting his fate.

"I present you. Your tributes for the 74th annual hunger games Primrose Everdeen and Peeta Melark." She chirps beckoning us to shake hands. It must have looked silly me being so small shaking Peeta's large callosed hand. He looks me in the eye as a way of saying sorry.

"and may the odds be ever in your favor." Effie says into the microphone.

It's as if I stopped breathing as I'm escorted into the Justice building.

Peeta and I were seperated into different rooms where goodbyes will be said. I collapse in the plush couch almost sobbing.

The air intering my lungs never quite being enough. I am gasping for air. I hadn't had trouble breathing before now it felt like the walls are caving in on me.

My sister burst through the door along with my mother dashing to my side holding me tightly as if their lives depended on it.

"I love you Prim." Katniss sobs into my neck collapsing into the floor completely broken.

That's the moment when I knew I was going to die... My sister knew it. From the look on my mother's face she knew it. The looks of pitty meant the whole district knows. That I, Primrose Everdeen tribute of the 74th annual hunger games am just another dead girl.


	2. Chapter 2

I am pressed between my mother and Katniss on the couch they both hold onto me as if I'm their lifeline.

"I should have volunteered Prim, I'm so sorry it was like I couldn't move." Katniss says almost as if she was about to start crying.

"Katniss Stop it's okay." I say hugging her to me not wanting my strong big sister to she'd anymore tears for me.

"Mother I want you to help Katniss. Take care of yourself mom. Please don't leave again no matter what you see on that screen or feel don't do it again please." I beg softly making her meet my eyes.

"I can't..." she stutters shaking her head.

"You can and you will." I tell her as firmly as I can manage which turns out shakey and pathetic sounding but she still nods. Her own tears pooling her eyes.

"Take care of eachother and Buttercup and Lady." I whisper.

"Of course." Katniss says her voice cracking.

"Promise me." I say tears pooling in my eyes for the first time.

"Always." She promises stroking my braid. The Peacekeepers come in Katniss' arms tighten holding me before letting me go.

"I'm so sorry prim. I love you." She crys being pulled from the room.

"I forgive you. I love you Mom Katniss Always never forget." I whimper almost bursting into tears as the doors slam shut. I collapse on the floor coldness creeping through my body.

Time passes until the door opens a second time and I'm pulled to my feet my eyes meeting the furious grey eyes of my sister's best friend Gale Hawthorne.

He searches my face and does something taking me by suprise. He wipes tears I hadn't realized were falling away with his fingers.

"Prim listen to me." He says kneeling at my height.

"No you listen to me." My voice cracks his eyes flashed for a second.

"You will take care of them." I tell him.

"Both of them. They need you. You will marry my sister and you will make her happy." I tell him his face turns into something between pain and sadness.

"Prim..." He says softly.

"Find water don't go to the bloodbath.Steal supplies if needed. Don't trust anyone completely. You need to survive." He tells me sternly.

"Please don't do that." I beg him.

"Don't pretend I have a chance Gale. You would win so would Katniss but no one my age has ever won. I'm probably the smallest, weakest and most vulnerable." I tell him my eyes on my feet.

"You are so smart Prim. You know so much at such a young age. You are not defenseless. You are not weak." He tells me.

"You might not make it but you won't go down without a fight." He tells me.

"You are Katniss' sister. You are more like her than you know." he tells me.

The door opens again making Gale pull me towards him into a hug.

"Promise me you'll take care of them." I beg as they pull him away from me.

"I promise you Prim." He calls before the doors shut.

I breathe out softly collecting myself.

After Gale came the rest of his family. His mother Hazelle always so kind kisses my forehead and made me promise to eat the fancy capitol food for her.

Vick and Rory both looked like they had been crying but put a smile on saying that she would do amazing.

What Gale's little sister Posey said almost broke my heart in two. She asked if when I came back if she can come over and play with her Doll I made her and Buttercup.

Her mother soon jumped in and said that we will see about it. But we all know all be returning in a wooden box being shipped back to my family.

Posey is only 5 not knowing the severity and horror of the games just yet.

Next it was the mayor's daughter Madge. Who kept smiling and asking soft questions. Like my favorite subject and color.

In the last moments she gives me a mockingjay pin that was on the collar of her pretty dress offering it to me as my token. Apparently she knew my sister and gale so I knew I could trust her. I thank her kindly as she leaves. I know I won't have any more visitors. I wait for the Peacekeepers to collect us and make our way towards the train I know the cameras are on us and our Escort Effie has joined us and is talking but I ignore it and let my eyes wonder taking in my surroundings taking in the faces and look of my District to memory Knowing in a few weeks it will be all I'll have left that and the mockingjay pin over my heart.


End file.
